Economy

When two agencies of the US Department of Agriculture move out of the Washington DC area next year, they might come to the Quad Cities. The chamber of commerce has applied to host the National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the Economic Research Service, with a total of more than 600 jobs.

More Sears and Kmart stores are going to close soon. Monday the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and released a list of 142 stores that'll hold liquidation sales beginning immediately, and then close.

The state has decided to help boost business and industrial expansion in the Quad Cities and western Illinois. Wednesday, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity approved enterprise zones for the Illinois Quad Cities and for Henry County.

The Salvation Army has moved its Family Services office to a new location. Over the summer, the Quad Cities chapter found places for its homeless clients to live. And it closed the downtown Davenport emergency shelter. It's now working to prevent homelessness by helping families stay in their apartments and homes.

Rural residents of eastern Iowa and northwestern Illinois could soon have better access to the internet. Microsoft has joined forces with a company called Network Business Systems to offer broadband access to more than 126,000 people in 11 counties.

The new, I-74 bridge will carry more than cars over the Mississippi River, helping keep the Quad Cities connected and warm. For years, the existing bridge has been home to utility lines that serve homes and businesses all over the Quad Cities.